Eagles Promote Disappointing Rookie WR to Starting Role

The critics have spoken and the Eagles don’t care. J.J. Arcega-Whiteside has shown enough to the coaching staff to warrant a bigger role.

Head coach Doug Pederson announced that the rookie wide receiver would handle the X position, or split end spot, opposite Alshon Jeffery for the foreseeable future. The Eagles had been using Jordan Matthews there, but they cut the veteran safety blanket on Monday.

Arcega-Whiteside has played all over the field over the past few weeks, while learning how to play the X and Z (flanker, slot) positions. With the Stanford product manning the outside, Nelson Agholor will move back into his normal role in the slot. Greg Ward will back him up.

“We know that JJ has been cross-training at a lot of different positions. We kept him at ‘X,’ he’s learned ‘Z.’ JJ’s kind of the guy now,” Pederson told reporters. “He’s the one in that position and he’s done some nice things these last couple of games and he’s gaining a little more confidence in that.”

Mack Hollins will also see snaps at the X position Sunday against Miami. For Arcega-Whiteside, it’s a chance to prove his many doubters wrong.

Arcega-Whiteside caught two balls for 43 yards last week, highlighted by a 21-yard grab. But he also was accused of running sloppy routes by some in the media. It’s been a roller-coaster ride of a season for him. No matter, Pederson has faith.

“I just think that what I’ve seen in practice, how he’s working, how he’s taking his coaching from the classroom to the practice field,” Pederson said when asked why the rookie deserves a larger role. “Some of the things he did in the game last week.”

Said Pederson: “Even though the ball necessarily maybe didn’t go his direction, just how he was able to run routes and some of the things that he did that way, blocking, things of that nature.”

Alshon Jeffery, Nelson Agholor Expected to Play Sunday

Starters Alshon Jeffery (ankle) and Nelson Agholor (knee) are expected to return to the lineup. They were back on the practice field on Wednesday.

The injured receivers should provide a huge confidence boost for struggling quarterback Carson Wentz. Jeffery and Agholor aren’t without flaws — in fact, the two have committed many mistakes this year — but they were important and integral parts of the Eagles’ Super Bowl run two seasons ago.

Head coach Doug Pederson still believes in the potential of his offense. The splash plays will come. His biggest piece of advice for Carson Wentz has been to stay patient.

“Let the guys around you work. Trust your offensive line,” Pederson said. “Sometimes even trust your defense, and knowing that we have a pretty good defense right now and they’re playing well here in the last couple of weeks. And you don’t have to go in there into a game looking for plays, searching for plays. Let the plays come.”

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